“Just don’t eat sugar.”
“Take your pills.”
“Count your carbs.”
“Avoid most thrills.
“Be prepared.”
“Plan ahead.”
But this disease
Is in my head.
I can’t split up the thoughts around
My mental health and body sound.
Impossible to draw a line
Between “I’m sick” and feeling fine.
Just take my shot? And avoid stress?
Beware of cake? Test, don’t guess?
The list of things disease requires
Realigns my needs around desires.
“I need juice.”
“It might cause strife.”
But sometimes juice can save my life.
It’s hard to share
How much I see.
In every test:
Mortality.
Was seven then, when it arrived.
And since that day, I’ve stayed alive.
But not because
I’ve not had pie.
Or “just took shots.”
I try.
And try.
The mental health
I have achieved,
I fight for – harder? –
Than A1C.
The demands put on a chronic life
Exceed “just take your shot.”
We live beyond, we live out loud.
Mental health not an afterthought.
It’s not a disease where you just “just.”
It’s more than simply “do.”
But how I manage mental health
Will help me make it through.
So true! Food issues too. : )
Thank you for always speaking the absolute truth for us all. This was spot on!
The three words / phrases I hate most are all minimizers.
Just – As in if you just (yeah like it is simple)
All you – As in all you have to do is (yeah why dont you all you)
If we – Which always means if you (yeah like I will say we, but I really mean if you)
Damn those words/ phrases make me angry. Now all I have to do is go have some CBD oil, and I will be cured. But of what? Because it sure as hell isn’t Diabetes or RA.
Sorry, I got a little off track there.
Never mind, now back to our regularly scheduled crisis.
Love this. Thank you!